Investigators: Ballard Church fire intentionally set

A fire that began during a Sunday worship service in Ballard was intentionally set, fire investigators said Monday.

A minute past noon, 911 dispatchers received word of smoke and flames coming from the bathroom of Ballard Church at 1460 N.W. 73rd St. The church had roughly 140 people in the sanctuary during the service.

The fire began in a bathroom.

“Prior to firefighters arriving at the scene, the fire was extinguished by church patrons using dry-chemical extinguishers,” Fire Department spokesman Kyle Moore said in a statement. “The fire damage was limited to the first floor women’s restroom. Smoke from the fire did drift through the sanctuary.”